Your TR Source
The London Times relays reports from its correspondent in America regarding various issues and events in the United States. In particular, the correspondent provides updates on political policies and legislation, as well as events that have happened in Washington, D.C., and between the United States and countries abroad, such as Venezuela and Haiti.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-03-30
Seth Low, president of the Civic Federation, recently met with a committee from the American Federation of Labor, including President Samuel Gompers, on the subject of amending the Sherman anti-trust act to exclude labor organizers. While they did not reach a definite decision, they made progress on forming a measure to introduce to Congress. Low also recently spoke with President Roosevelt about this issue.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-03-06
Henry W. Taft believes there is no adequate foundation for a statement made by Alton B. Parker that the common law can serve as a legal remedy against trusts and monopolies. Taft maintains that it is necessary for laws restricting monopolies to come from the federal level in order to appropriately apply criminal penalties and work at a national scale. Taft also quotes extensively from three letters by Thomas Jefferson to show that Jefferson, the founder of the Democratic party, opposed the common law being applied at a national scale.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-09-30
President of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad Company Charles S. Mellen has met with President Roosevelt to expedite an investigation into his railroad’s merger with another New England Line. Mellen argues that such investigations are embarrassing to businesses, hinder railroad development, and ought to be completed as quickly as possible once begun. Roosevelt has agreed to finish this investigation, but any companies that violate the Sherman Act will still be prosecuted.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-11-07
Assistant Attorney General Purdy reports his thoughts to Attorney General Bonaparte regarding legislation to be undertaken in the wake of the financial panic. Rather than formulate new legislation in response to the crisis, Purdy details the “evils” of the Sherman Act so that Congress may address them. Purdy argues that the Sherman Act outlaws all trusts, no matter if they are good or bad, which is impractical to enforce. Purdy believes it would be better and more expedient to outlaw the bad practices of certain trusts rather than making all trusts illegal. If Congress does not agree, however, then all methods of business should be modified to “meet the literal requirements” of the Sherman Act, by creating some simple and efficient legislation to immediately break up all trusts.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-11-04
The Department of Justice will not prosecute the merger of two New England railroad lines due largely to the intervention of Charles S. Mellen, president of one of the lines in question. Mellen, whom the article calls a “close personal friend” of President Roosevelt’s, met with the president privately to assure him the merger does not violate the Sherman Act and to push for expediting the investigation in the interest of allowing business to continue as necessary. Commissioner of the Interstate Commerce Commission Charles A. Prouty has already come out in favor of the merger as well.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-11-07
Charles S. Mellen had a spirited discussion with President Roosevelt requesting that an investigation into his railroad company’s planned merger be expedited. Mellen objected particularly to the embarrassment such an investigation causes and the indignity of the merger having been a major issue in the recent Massachusetts gubernatorial election.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-11-07
Many managers of trusts and mergers have been meeting privately with President Roosevelt in light of the administration’s increased prosecutions of trusts in violation of the Sherman Act. It is uncertain exactly what is discussed in their meetings, but most meetings have proven beneficial for the managers and their businesses.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-11-08
The understanding of the Interstate Commerce Commission is that the Sherman Antitrust Act does not apply to railroads, although without input from the Supreme Court on the matter they are unwilling to state so definitively. In any event, the particular matter of the merger of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad Company with the Boston and Maine Railroad is not a violation of the act.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-11-08
The Daily Telegraph reports on a speech by President Roosevelt in which he insisted on the peaceful nature of the Great White Fleet’s movement and reiterated his plans to regulate trusts via existing laws rather than attempting new legislation.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-10-03
Resolution calling on Attorney General Charles J. Bonaparte to send to the Senate copies of all correspondence relating to the alleged violation of the Sherman Act by the American Sugar Refining Company and Pennsylvania Sugar Refining Company.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1909-01-22
As President Roosevelt’s presidency comes to an end, he faces resistance from the House of Representatives over his request to increase the budget of the Secret Service and backlash from the Senate for not trust busting the United States Steel Corporation’s acquisition of the Tennessee Coal and Iron Company.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1909-01-08
Memorandum defending the government’s handling of the alleged coal combination and enforcement of the Sherman Act.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-04-21
A note about how the Sherman Anti-Trust Law should be amended to permit traffic agreements between the railroads and the railroad corporations.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Unknown
The speech discusses what it means to be “truly conservative” and distinguishes between being a true conservative and what it means to be radical. The author discusses farming and farmers, railroads, the Panama Canal, and the Sherman Act.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Unknown
Draft of a speech with handwritten corrections. President Roosevelt praises the Puritans for their “iron sense of duty” and “will to do the right.” Everyone should strive for a “life of effort” and the Puritan’s descendants must try to shape modern industrial civilization with the same “justice and fair dealing.” These altered conditions call for different laws and government methods, including greater control over business and corporations. Good laws and institutions must also be based on a “high quality of individual citizenship.”
1907-08-20
Richard A. Anthony writes to President Roosevelt to urge him to speak out against Senator Joseph Benson Foraker’s bill concerning the Sherman Anti-Trust Law. Anthony describes his discussion with Lawrence F. Abbott concerning Roosevelt’s Panama policy and comments favorably on Roosevelt’s policy towards labor.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-02-01
William Justus Boies has enclosed two articles from the Evening Post: one on the Northern Securities decision and the other on Wall Street’s attitude toward President Roosevelt’s personally.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-06-15
Jacob H. Schiff is concerned that if the government loses the suit against the Northern Securities Company that President Roosevelt’s prestige will suffer and new more repressive legislation will follow. However, a judicial decision against the Northern Securities Company could adversely effect the railroad industry and “shake the structure upon which our existing prosperity rests.” He asks that his comments be communicated to Roosevelt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-03-24
Herschel V. Jones expresses concern that suing the Northern Securities Company under the Sherman Act is being perceived in Minnesota as President Roosevelt allying himself with Minnesota Governor Samuel Rinnah Van Sant. Van Sant’s policies have split the Minnesota Republican party and Jones believes that Van Sant’s decisions are too politically motivated. He does not object to Roosevelt’s action but opposes an alliance with Governor Van Sant.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-02-22